1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a holder for a flat cable, and more particularly to a holder for a flat cable in which a plurality of conductors are integrated in a juxtaposed manner. The holder is operative for securing the flat cable to a mating member of a vehicle panel or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most automotive vehicles have a complicated layout of electrical parts that are interconnected by wire harnesses. The wire harnesses often must pass through a narrow space in a vehicle panel, and occasionally must be arranged in a narrow space over a flat plane. A wire harness that must pass through a narrow planar space typically includes a flat cable in which a plurality of conductors are integrated in a juxtaposed manner. The flat cable cannot be secured directly to the vehicle panel. Rather, the flat cable must be held by a special holder and the holder must be attached to the vehicle panel through the holder.
A typical conventional holder for a flat cable is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. SHO 63-187382 (1988), and, for convenience, is illustrated in FIGS. 10a and 10b herein. FIG. 10a shows a flat cable 1 with a plurality of electric wires (conductors) 1 a integrated in a juxtaposed manner. A holder 2 holds the flat cable 1.
The holder 2 includes a U-shaped holding member 3 to hold the flat cable 1. A band 5 is coupled through a hinge 4 to an end of the holding member 3. A band lock 6 is provided on the end of the holder 2 opposite the hinge 4. The band lock 6 includes an opening 6a through which a distal end of the band 5 passes, and an engaging projection 6b adapted to engage a serrated portion 5a formed longitudinally on the band 5.
The holding member 3 has a rear surface with a self-locking member 7. The self-locking member 7 is attached around an opening 8a in a vehicle panel 8 to prevent the self-locking member 7 from coming out from the panel 8. The holding member 3 is provided with a projection 9 on a holding surface for holding the flat cable 1. The projection 9 is conical and is dimensioned to be inserted into a through opening 10 formed in any part of the flat cable 1.
The holder 2 is employed by placing the flat cable 1 in the holding member 3 and then inserting the projection 9 into the opening 10 in the flat cable 1. The distal end of the band 5 then is inserted into the through opening 6a of the band lock 6 and the serrated portion 5a of the band 5 is engaged with the engaging projection 6b of the band lock 6. Thus, the flat cable 1 is clamped by means of the band member 5 and holding member 3. Thereafter, the self-locking member 7 is inserted into the opening 8a in the vehicle panel 8 to secure the holder 2 to the panel 8. Thus, the holder 2 attaches the flat cable 1 to the vehicle panel 8.
The holding member 3 is attached to the flat cable 1 by inserting the projection 9 into the opening 10. Thus, it is possible to prevent the flat cable 1 from moving in the holder 2 and to attach the flat cable 1 securely to the holder 2.
However, the conventional holder 2 requires the conical projection 9 on the holding member 3 to be inserted into the flat cable 1. Therefore, it is necessary to form the opening 10 in the flat cable 1. This requires care to ensure that the vinyl cover of the flat cable 1 is not broken during the formation of the opening 10, and further requires care during the insertion of the projection 9 into the opening 10. Consequently, this involves reducing working convenience and reducing working efficiency.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a holder that can hold a flat cable without forming a through opening in the flat cable and without breaking it during an attaching work.
The invention is directed to a holder for a flat cable in which a plurality of conductors are integrated in a juxtaposed manner. The holder comprises a substantially flat plate-like main body and a pressing member. The main body has front surface and an opposite rear side with an engaging member that is adapted to engage with a mating member. The pressing member is disposed for clamping the flat cable against the front surface of the main body. An elongate holding member is provided either on the front surface of the main body or on the surface of the pressing member that faces the main body. Thus, the elongated holding member contacts the flat cable in cooperation with either the main body or the pressing member. Accordingly, it is possible to hold the flat cable without working it, and particularly without forming a hole in the flat cable. Also, since the flat cable is brought into contact with the elongated holding member, it is possible to prevent the flat cable from moving in the holder, thereby stably holding the flat cable.
The pressing member may include a band with opposite first and second ends. The first end of the band may be connected to a first end of the main body. The main body may also include a second end formed with a through opening into which the second end of the band is inserted. The through opening may have an interior formed with an engaging projection that is adapted to engage with serrations formed longitudinally on the band. Thus, the second end of the band can be inserted into the through opening formed in the second end of the main body so that the serrations on the band member can be engaged with the engaging projection. Thus the flat cable can be clamped securely between the band and the main body.
The main body may include a band integrated on each of the opposite ends of the main body, and the pressing member may be provided with through openings on each of its opposite ends. Each through opening may be provided with an engaging projection adapted to engage with serrations on the band. The band can be inserted into the through openings formed in the opposite ends of the pressing member so that the serrations can be engaged with the engaging projections. Thus, the flat cable can be clamped securely between the pressing member and the main body. In this embodiment, the pressing member is formed separately from the main body. However, the bands couple the pressing member and main body. Therefore, it is possible to superpose several flat cables on each other and to attach them to the holder.
Through openings may be provided on each of the opposite ends of the main body and additional through openings may be provided on each of the opposite ends of the pressing member. The main body member and pressing member then may be coupled to each other by aligning their respective through openings and inserting separate binding members into the aligned pairs of through openings. Thus, the binding members securely clamp the flat cable between the pressing member and the main body. In this embodiment, the pressing member is formed separately from the main body and the binding members couple the pressing member and main body to each other. Therefore, it is possible to superpose several flat cables on each other and to attach them to the holder by employing binding members of appropriate length.
Each binding member may include a binding band, and the binding band may comprise a band member having serrations. A through opening may be formed in a first end of the band member and may be adapted to receive the second end of the band member. An engaging projection may be formed on the interior of the through opening and may be adapted to engage the serrations formed on the band member. In this case, it is possible to couple the pressing member and main body member by an existent binding band and to reduce the cost of the holder.
An engaging projection may be provided in at least one of the through openings at the opposite ends of the main body. Additionally, the binding member may include a binding band. The binding band may comprise a serrated band member with a stopper on an end of the band member. The engaging projection of the main body may engage with the serrations of the band member when the band member is inserted into the through openings in the main body. In this case, the flat cable is positioned between the pressing member and the main body. The band member then is inserted from one through opening in the main body to one through opening in the pressing member. The band member then is inserted through the other through opening in the pressing member and finally into the other through opening in the main body. By bringing the stopper of the band member into contact with the pressing member at a side of one through opening and causing the serrations to be engaged with the engaging projection, the pressing member and main body are interconnected, thereby firmly securing the flat cable to the holder.
The pressing member may include a binding band comprising a serrated band member formed separately from the main body. A stopper may be provided on an end of the band member. Through openings may be provided on opposite ends of the main body. An engaging projection is formed on the interior of at least one through opening and is adapted to engage with the serrations on the band member. In this case, the band member may be inserted into one through opening in the main body until the stopper of the band member is brought into contact with the main body at a side of the one through opening. The flat cable then is positioned between the band member and the main body, and the band member is inserted into the other through opening in the main body so that the serrations are engaged with the engaging projection, thereby coupling the band member and main body member to each other and securing the flat cable firmly to the holder.
The holding member in any of the embodiments may include a rib having a thickness which increases from opposite ends of said holding member to a central portion thereof. In this case, since the flat cable can be brought into contact with the holding member having a raised central portion, it is possible to arrange the flat cable between the main body member and the pressing member with no clearance.
The holding member may be a plate-like member made of an elastomer. In this case, the flat cable can depress the elastomeric holding member when the flat cable is clamped between the main body and the pressing member. Therefore, it is possible to arrange the flat cable between the main body and the pressing member with no clearance.